A STUDENT who is hoping to qualify for the 2018 Commonwealth Games has been nominated for a Leeds sports award.

Cameron Corbishley, 19, has been put forward for the Special Contribution to Student Sport Award at this year's Leeds Sports Awards.

Cameron, who is in the second year of his Philosophy, Ethics and Religion degree at Leeds Trinity University in Horsforth, is an elite race walker who regularly competes for Great Britain at World and European events.

He recently came first and third in England Athletics U20 Championships and second in the Leeds Varsity, and last year was selected to represent GB at the European Athletics Race Walking permit meeting in the Czech Republic. He also travelled to Rome for the IAAF World Race Walking Team Championships.

Cameron said: "The key to being able to balance your time is to be organised and prepared, and Leeds Trinity has been able to really help with that for me. They've provided me with lots of options which has allowed me to be more flexible so nothing has had to suffer."

Helped by the university's Athlete Support Package, Cameron was put forward for the award for his seamless transition into university life, whilst still representing his country at the highest level.

He added: "I was very pleasantly surprised when I found out that I was nominated for the award, I didn't expect it at all. There are so many great athletes in Leeds and to be nominated up with them is a huge honour. If I were to win it would be potentially one of my biggest achievements in my career."

Cameron has been shortlisted alongside University of Leeds students James Nicholson and Kim Daybell, 2016 Paralympian table tennis player, as well as the University of Leeds Women's Hockey Club and Leeds Beckett University Hockey Club.

Samantha Thackray, Sports Development Assistant at Leeds Trinity said: "For Cameron to be selected for several international competitions is a fantastic achievement but combining this with moving to Leeds, beginning his degree and finding a new training venue and routine demonstrates how hard he has worked in the past year. His nomination is well deserved and he should be very proud of himself – he has proved that it is possible to combine both studying and competing."

With 2017, his first year as a senior athlete, Cameron has set himself big targets for the year ahead. He said:

"I'm excited for the year ahead and hope it's going to be a really big year for me. As I will be a senior athlete, it means moving up to the distance of 20km.

"My main aim is to make a successful transition into 20km, but what I really hope to do is walk the England Commonwealth standard of 85 minutes, which will hopefully qualify me for the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast."